1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape player for use with an automatic telephone message recorder, and more particularly to a tape player having a structure which includes a head base and a slide base.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A tape player for use with an automatic telephone message recorder exemplarily has such a construction as shown in FIG. 8. The tape player shown is of the same type as is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,806, U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,357 and U.S. application Ser. No. 07/424,359 filed Oct. 19, 1989.
The tape player includes a chassis 51, a slide base 52, and a head base 53.
A pair of positioning pins 57a and 57b are provided on the chassis 51. A micro cassette (not shown) is thus positioned by the positioning pins 57a and 57b and loaded on a pair of reel bases not shown and a capstan 58.
The head base 53 is supported on the chassis 51 for sliding movement in the opposite directions indicated by a double-sided arrow mark A-B in FIG. 8 under the guidance of three guide pins 61a, 61b and 61c. The head base 53 and the slide base 52 have generally similar configurations to each other and are supported for individual sliding movement with the head base 53 placed in an overlapping relationship on the slide base 52. The slide base 52 is connected at an upper end thereof in FIG. 8 to a plunger Sa of a solenoid S. A spring hook 52a is formed at a left end of the slide base 52 in FIG. 8, and a return spring 54 extends between the spring hook 52a and a bent lug 51a at a left end of the chassis 51 in FIG. 8. Thus, the slide base 52 is normally urged by the resilient force of the return spring 54 in the direction of the arrow mark B so that it may be moved away from the reel bases. Meanwhile, a bent engaging lug 52b is formed at a right end portion of the slide base 52 and normally held in engagement with a front edge of a right end portion of the head base 53. Accordingly, when the slide base 52 is returned in the direction of the arrow mark B by the return spring 54, the engaging lug 52b of the slide base 52 pushes to move the head base 53 back in the direction of the arrow mark B. Further, a connecting spring 56 extends between the engaging lug 52b of the slide base 52 and a bent lug 53a at an end of the head base 53 so that, when the slide base 52 is pulled by the solenoid S to move in the direction of the arrow mark A toward the reel bases, the head base 53 is pulled to move in the direction of the arrow mark A by way of the connecting spring 56.
A magnetic head H is securely mounted on the head base 53 so that it may move in the directions of the double-sided arrow mark A-B together with the head base 53.
When a reproducing (recording) operation is to be carried out, the solenoid S is energized to attract the plunger Sa. Consequently, the slide base 52 connected to the plunger Sa is pulled to move in the direction of the arrow mark A, and also the head base 53 is moved in the direction of the arrow mark A by way of the connecting spring 56. The head base 53 is stopped at a position at which it abuts with the positioning pins 57a and 57b as shown in FIG. 8. In this condition, the magnetic head H on the head base 53 contacts with a tape within the micro cassette. As the plunger Sa of the solenoid S is attracted fully to its limit position, the slide base 52 is moved farther in the direction of the arrow mark A than the stopping position of the head base 53 shown in FIG. 8. As a result, the pinch roller P is contacted under pressure by the force of a spring not shown with the tape held therebetween to permit the tape to be fed for play (reproduction or recording) thereof.
However, such a conventional tape player as described above has a problem that, because it includes three springs, it has a comparatively large number of parts and is complicated in assembling operation.
Further, at least three guide pins 61a to 61c are necessitated in order to assure smooth sliding movement of the slide base 52 and the head base 53, and the number of parts is increased as much. Further, since sliding movement of the slide base 52 (and the head base 53) on the chassis 1 and sliding movement of the slide base 52 on the head base 53 are guided by the same guide pins 61a to 61c, it is necessary to assure the same spacings for such sliding movement around the guide pins 61a to 61c in the directions of the double-sided arrow mark A-B. Accordingly, there is a problem that there is much restriction to the spacing for locations of parts on the head base 53 and the space on the head base 53 cannot be utilized effectively.